YamiPhoenixfire: Warning! I have PMS and authoress rights for this chapter! Mwahahhah!
Phoenixfire: Oh God, that means that all the relationships are going to go to merry Hell.
YamiPhoenixfire: (Glares) Stow it and tell the pretty reviewers who won your impromptu contest thingie.
Phoenixfire: Hey, this was YOUR idea!
(YamiPhoenixfire pulls out a gun)
Phoenixfire: (Starts to sweat) Okay, the people who won are: Vanya, the Elven Maiden of the Valar. You'll be showing up in this chapter, so good luck. (Whisper) I won't let her make you evil or anything, promise.
YamiPhoenixfire: And what's wrong with being evil?
Phoenixfire: Nothing! Absolutely nothing!
Also, a note on time flow between worlds: It's about the same, but sometimes fluxes, (which is why it can be night in Astarael's world and day in Baten Kaitos. This is mostly Because I Said So.) So three years in Astarael's world is three years in Baten Kaitos.
One more little note: That little scene with Astarael and Azil about Rob? That was a Major Plot Significance Scene, for several reasons. Why, you ask? (Turns to YamiPhoenixfire)
YamiPhoenixfire: Oh, I have plans for him (evil laughter)…. And to think, the only reason you had him in the story at first was to take out your frustrations with your boyfriend's overclinginess.
Phoenixfire: (blushes) Yes, well… Disclaimer time! I don't own Baten Kaitos or Mountain Dew. Nor do I own my parents. They own me. On with the story!
Chapter 9: We All Fall Down
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BE-!
Crunch!
"Heh heh heh… I've always wanted to do that… damn alarm clock…" Astarael murmured, staring at the ruined pieces of her alarm clock with a sleepy grin, before dragging herself out of bed to throw on the same clothes she'd worn to the hospital last night. Then, taking a second look at her outfit, she took off Selih's necklace and put it in her left breast pocket, before pulling out a navy and white striped cloth belt, the type with two metal loops instead of a buckle. She'd always thought it would make a cool choker.
She'd gotten no homework done last night, her parents now thought she was involved in some sort of gang, her sister knew what was really going on, two of Kalas's strongest enemies had decided that they were coming for her, her best friend was in the hospital…
And for some perverse reason, she was feeling cheerful, happy enough to forego beating the crap our of Rob. She wasn't sure what was making her so happy… maybe it was the fact that she was mostly sure that Selih was going to make it out of the hospital.
"Astarael." She jumped and whirled in surprise to find…
"Rana? What are you doing up this early?" Astarael asked.
"As if I was going to let you off the hook! You didn't answer any of my questions last night, and now I have bunches more! Did you save Selih? How can you fly? What other neat powers do you have? Why didn't you tell me earlier? What just happened to your alarm clock? Can you teach me how to fly and kill monsters? Why…"
"Hey, Rana, I have to change my clothes again. Y'know, I can't wear the same clothes I broke into the hospital in. I might have been recorded, and it would look suspicious. I'll talk to you later. I promise," Astarael said while shoving her sister out the door and locking it behind her.
Damn. Now I have to change my clothes again. I like this outfit. Well… maybe the choker is a tad pathetic. I can ask… I'll ask Selih when I see her again. For now… what to wear…
She flitted over to the closet and started going through her wardrobe when a dark blue cami trimmed in beaded lace caught her eye. Oooh! I love this shirt! And it's a handwash shirt, so I rarely get to wear it! Yaay, and I can wear it with those cute little kaki pants that have the lavender flowers embroidered on the legs. And… I'll wear the black choker. Yup, now to take a looong shower so I'll be running late and won't have to deal with Rana. Yes, I am brilliant. Except… damnit, I won't be able to steal a Mountain Dew from… wait, we're out. AZIL drank it all. Oh, well… I'll just have to buy some out of the vending machines when I get to school.
"Astarael Victoria Sanders, I want you to tell me what you've done that would have people angry enough to kill you," he mother snarled at her as she waited for her toast to hurry up and start toasting.
"And I told you, it was random. Completely random," Astarael snarled. "Must you call me by my full name so early in the morning? You know it irks me."
"Listen Astarael, I know you're hiding something from me…" Okay, that does it. I am sick of her ignoring me!
"No, YOU listen!" Astarael shouted, throwing the plastic jar of jam she had been holding onto the counter with an unnecessary amount of force. "I am so very sick of your hypocritical rambling that I could kill you! Jesus Christ, I was much better off dead, playing guardian angel for a traitor!" She stormed out of the kitchen, ran back to her bedroom, scooped up her backpack and stomped back down the stairs as loudly as she could.
"Astra, honey, please don't joke about things like that…" her mother begged. Astarael stopped for a moment, wondering what she had done to fluster her mother so badly. What did I… wait. Oh sweet gods, I almost told her the TRUTH! God, I need to remember to keep my mouth shut before I have my caffeine.
"Look, Mom, THIS is why I'm not telling you anything. You find out a tiny bit, and you react like you want to lock me up in the loony bin. I don't…" She stopped abruptly in the middle of her sentence. A part of her really wanted to say, I don't need you to drive me to the bus stop, I can fly there just fine! pull out her wings, and storm out of the house. Or set something on fire. Setting something on fire seemed to be like a good idea right now…
Her hand reached into her pocket, where she was keeping the broken necklace that Selih had given to her. She could almost hear Selih chewing her out for being an idiot as soon as she touched it.
Okay, this is NOT caffeine withdrawal. What the hell is wrong with me this morning?
"I'm going to the bus stop now, maybe some walking can cure me of this idiocy," she muttered, turning on her flabbergasted mother and leaving before the woman could get a word in edgewise.
And on the couch, the brown-haired girl with the earphones in her ears, seemingly immersed in her music, smiled a small and evil smile.
Soda, soda, need my DEW! Astarael's thoughts roared. It took up most of her thoughts throughout the entire bus ride. It was easier than thinking about a multitude of other things… like why the hell she'd almost blown her cover. It had almost been as if her thoughts had been being manipulated by someone else…
Can't the taint of Malpercio…
It was way, way too early in the morning for her to finish that thought. The completion of that thought would require a place where she could spew profanities and destroy random inanimate objects without people staring at her. However, her rebellious brain not only finished that sentence, but also cheerily began to spew out the ramifications of the thing that she didn't want to think about. Traitorous, traitorous mind. Having your sanity brought into question is never a good thing, especially before 8:00 AM, especially when you are the one doing the questioning.
So, when she had reached the school, she had three shiny new conclusions to start what she already knew was going to be the Day From Hell.
One. She was corrupted, and could no longer trust her own judgment.
Two. Her mother was going to make her life hell the moment she got home.
Three. She needed a Mountain Dew. Or a Coke. Or ANYTHING that had ANY caffeine in it at all, preferably with a shot of some sort of brandy added in. No, NO alcohol, already am questioning judgment, thank you.
So, just her soda. She made her way to the vending machines, blearily fishing around in the bottom of her purse for stray quarters, when…
"ASTRA!" …she was cruelly assaulted by an unknown male, who hg tackled her when she was off-guard and sent her crashing to the ground. Luckily for her, she managed to avoid bot spilling the contents of her purse and being cut on Briar Rose.
What in the unholy name of the End Magnus was… hang on, there's only one person who would be STUPID enough to do that to me!
"Robert Dixion, get your lecherous hands off of me before I remove them from the rest of your body. I'm in a bad mood already and you. Are. Not. HELPING!" she screamed at him. He let go and backed off immediately, looking confused and hurt. She'd never been this mean to him before. Of course, his little Hug Attacks had never succeeded before.
"A-Astra? What's wrong…"
"Don't you A-Astra me! The problem is YOU, idiot! Now stop harassing me and get out of my sight before I cut you to pieces and incinerate what's left, you pathetic, miserable little…" Damn, I almost said 'mortal'. "Partial possession theory conformation number three.
"Look, what did I do? I thought…"
"That's the problem, Rob, you never think at all. You never noticed the thousand and one hints I dropped, trying to get you to leave me the hell alone. You are the second thickest man I have ever met, and you probably place fourth in the grand contest of The Universe's Greatest Asshole. I TOLD you that Selih was in the hospital, Goddamnit! DIDN'T YOU EVER STOP TO THINK THAT THAT MIGHT MEAN THAT I WOULD BE IN A REALLY BAD MOOD TODAY?"
He had the nerve to glare at her. "What the hell is your problem today?"
Astarael sucked in a breath at his audacity. Okay, healing breaths. One, two, three…
"You never act like this! You're being so cruel to me, and all I was trying to do was cheer you up? Why won't you just admit to the fact that you like me?"
(kilstranglemaimcastrate) Four, five, six, seven…
"I mean, we've been hanging out for almost a year, right? I know you're shy, but I can honestly say that I love you…"
"Screw it. Ten," Astarael hissed, her head snapping back up with a contorted expression of pure rage and hate that had before been reserved for Melodia. Rob quailed. Oh crap, if she was angry before, now she looks like she wants to kill me!
"What the hell do you know about love? When, Robert, did I ever give you the impression that I had any feelings for you other than pity? I have never felt romantically or physically attracted to you. Ever. I… you are nothing to me but a little boy, one who cannot understand the difference between love and lust. Come back and ask again when you can." Of course, my answer will still be the same. I just might be inclined to tell you why. "Until then, you will get off my backpack strap, you will stop staring at my chest, and you will remove yourself from my presence before I do something violent. Allow me to get my caffeine fix in peace."
Rob turned and ran. Most of the kids in the main hallway had already fled from the psychotic senior. Some people have absolutely no survival instinct.
"Hey Astra, I heard that you attacked Rob in the hall. Is that true?" asked Vanya, one of the only people in her study hall who bothered to talk to her, when her nose wasn't buried in a book. Vanya and Astarael had been almost-friends for a long time. They'd gone to the same grade school since kindergarten, had been in the same Girl Scout troop. Their mothers were on the same committees at church.
"Yes. Verbally. And that was a great show of restraint on my part," Astarael snapped. "That little… he tackled me! It was sexual harassment!"
Vanya shot her a skeptical look. "Are you sure you don't want to calm down a tad?"
"Hell yes. He said that he loved me, that fool! What the heck does he know about love?"
Vanya sighed. "And knowing the blunt person you've become since your two-year nap, you just came right out and told him that, didn't you?
"Yes. He needs to know he has absolutely no chance with me."
Vanya's blue eyes sparkled. "Is there someone else?"
"No." Astarael's lips quirked, trying to smile. One of Astarael's oldest habits had been her tenancy to smile when she was lying. It was a habit that she had almost completely eliminated since awakening from her coma, but every once in a while it tried to resurface.
Like now.
"If you say so," Vanya replied, returning to her book. She and Astarael had known each other for almost forever, but they weren't really friends. Vanya knew that if Astarael felt like telling her, that she would. If she didn't, than she wouldn't. It was that simple.
About twenty minutes into their study hall, Astarael spoke again. "Kalas."
"Hmm?" Vanya replied.
"The guy I like. His name is Kalas."
"…I see…"
The thing that neither girl had noticed was that a boy named Robert had been standing outside the room at that time (he was cutting). And he had heard that exchange, which prompted him to wonder, who the hell is Kalas?
But the boy did not march in and demand answers of the blue-haired girl, oh no. He had no desire to be killed, especially since there were easier ways of obtaining information.
After all, he had study hall fifth period, with a charming sophomore girl named Azil Sanders.
Said girl was currently also cutting class. She was busy sitting on the roof, grooming her large black wings while staring balefully at her two new servants.
"Astarael's last class is Latin. I told you where it is. I want no mistakes… I need the Guardian dead now."
The two, a man and a woman, bowed their heads and left to take their positions. Even if they failed (which she expected them to), she had her backup plan… the one thing that she was certain her foolish sister would never be able to destroy.
"Checkmate, young guardian. One way or another, your soul belongs to me."
The woman was old, older than ninety, with steel gray hair andglasses thicker than the average magnifyingglass,but still walking chipperly down the streets of New York City. She'd finally saved up enough to rent a car from the dealer and visit her granddaughter's family…
"Old woman! Gimmie your money, and we won't hurt you!" said a young man dressed if torn street clothing, as he held a gun up at her.
"No, man!" pleaded the other man next to him. "Don't attack her! Old Lady Corietta is…"
"That's just a fairy tale," his companion snarled, taking his eyes off the granny he was getting ready to rob. "No one believes in magic these days…"
"I beg to differ," the old woman replied. He turned back to her, and his snarled retort died on his lips.
"Jesus!" he gasped, firing off several shots at the old woman, who was now sporting three pairs of wings, all a blinding shade of pure white and each four feet long. The bullets ricoched off of some sort of barrier, and they were forced to jump behind a dumpster to avoid getting themselves killed. The second man (the one without the gun) ran away screaming at this point. The first man turned back, snarling at the old woman. "You…"
"I am the Light, dispeller of Darkness!" the old woman chanted, extending both her arms. "Guardian Spell: Shining Seraphim!"
Next time: Bloodshed. The Mysterious Old Woman, Old Lady Corietta. Violence. The Baten Kaitos crew. And, of course, Mountain Dew. Where would this story be without Mountain Dew?
YamiPhoenixfire: Okay, chapter's done Now get out here, goody-two-shoes, and do the reviewer responses!
Phoenixfire: (is cowering under the table) No.
YamiPhoenixfire: Why n… Oh. Of course. Awyr found you.
Phoenixfire: (in a singsong voice) Awyr's gonna killlllllll me, Awyr's gonna killllllllllllll me!
YamiPhoenixfire: God, all she's gonna do is criticize you! It's not that bad!
Phoenixfire: So says you.
YamiPhoenixfire: Wimp. Fine, I'll do the responses. (mutters) Useless good half…
Phoenixfire: No! I'll do it! You'll scare away all the pretty reviewers!
Vanya, the Elven Maiden of the Valar: Here's your update.
crazygirl306: Sorry there's no Lyude in this chapter… hopefully, there will be a little more of him and the other Baten Kaitos characters in the next chapter… although frankly, it's looking Astarael-centric again.
Duck's Ruckus: Well, I think I have to attribute my proper English skills to my mother and Microsoft word. Truth be told, I'm a horrible speller… (blushes at all the compliments) (YamiPhoenixfire: Hey, don't get cocky. As soon as Awyr realizes that it's you writing this, she's going to tear it to pieces with her editing skills.)(Phoenixfire: Don't remind me!) And Astarael… well, if she does get Kalas, than she's definitely going to have to bleed for it… not gonna say any more…
LighteningRae: Hmm… wonder why you had to leave so quickly. Thank you for taking the time to review my story.
Awyr: Pixie sticks… mmm… (YamiPhoenixfire: NO! DON'T EAT THOSE! THAT'S MY PRIVATE STASH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) Um… yes, this is me. Don't kill me, gomen?
Seducer of Darkness: Shocked into silence? (YamiPhoenixfire: My work here is done…)(Phoenixfire hits YamiPhoenixfire over the head with a summer reading book)
Karina Gomez: NOT THE DOG MINIONS! AAAAH!
…here's your update. I'm sorry… I was away in Ocean City (NJ), so it took me longer to update than usual. (YamiPhoenixfire: Why are you apologizing? You DID warn them.) (Pheonixifre hits her with books again)
Luna-Starr: He hee! They're going to get to Earth very soon…
Inquz: Glad you like my fic. (goes off to read new fanfiction)
YamiPhoenixfire: Well, since my good half wandered off, I guess I'll…
Rana: No you won't. My big sister says that you're not allowed near the computer 'on pain of a firey death' while she's not here. So I'm going to finish up!
YamiPhoenixifre: You're only twelve! You can't do the responses! I won't let you! (takes the keyboard)
Rana: (takes a big breath)
YamiPhoenixfire: You're not going to…
Rana: SISTER! YOUR EVIL VERSION IS GOING THROUGH YOUR DIARY AGAIN!
YamiPhoenixfire: Kid, when I get out of the closet, I AM going to kill you!
Phoenixfire: (reappears… and shoves a protesting YamiPhoenixfire into the closet) Well, since I'm back, I might as well finish up.
Rana: (muttering) Drat. (Wanders out of bedroom)
Shy Guy 32: The name Astarael actually came from a trilogy of books by Garth Nix that I really liked. In the books, Astarael is the name of one of the seven bells that necromancers use. It's the largest of the seven bells, and sends everyone within hearing range to the realms of death when rung, and is also called Astarael the Sorrowful. Ironically, Rana is the name of the smallest bell, and puts those who hear it to sleep when rung, but doesn't affect the ringer. Azil isn't the name of a bell. It's the name of my least favorite sister spelled backwards. Their last name was chosen at random. 595,600 out of 365? Is that the number of minutes in a year or something like that? (YamiPhoenixfire: MATH! GOD HELP US!)(Phoenixfire: Remember, you're in the closet. SO BE QUIET!)
And that's it for reviewer responses. Now I'm off to read more fanfiction… bye for now!
For those of you who were wondering, Astarael's list of the Biggest Assholes in the Universe
Number Five: Azil.
Number Four: Rob
Number Three: Kalas (currently in danger of losing his coveted position to Rob)
Number Two: Melodia
Number One: The person who ran her over with the SUV, whose name hasn't been disclosed to prevent her from maiming him.